Jisc has agreed a seven-year deal with Neos Networks to establish a new dark fibre network to support higher education and research in Northern Ireland.
This represents the latest stage in the overhaul of Jisc’s Janet network, following a recent deal with the company covering the North-West of England.
It will provide universities, colleges and research bodies in Northern Ireland with connectivity of up to 100Gbps, and extend to key partner networks in Dublin.
The network will involve two back-up routes to Neos’s unbundled exchanges in Glasgow and Southport via submarine cable to provide resilience.
Improve and enhance
Neil Shewry, deputy director, network delivery at Jisc, said: “We need to continually improve and enhance the connectivity options for the institutions we serve. This new network will give us the bandwidth, the capability and the reliability we need to deliver on that goal.
“This network will provide future proof connectivity to Jisc’s members and help to meet increasing demand created by the ongoing shift to the hybrid learning environment.”
